SOLAR ENERGY MARKETS INDUSTRY, INSTALLATION, LABOR AND TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

SOLAR ENERGY MARKETS INDUSTRY, INSTALLATION, LABOR AND TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

CONTENTS

PREFACE

Chapter 1 2010 SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES MARKET REPORT∗

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

LIST OF ACRONYMS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. INSTALLATION TRENDS, PHOTOVOLTAIC AND CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER

1.1. Global Installed PV Capacity

1.1.1. Cumulative Installed PV Capacity Worldwide

1.1.2. Growth in Cumulative and Annual Installed PV Capacity Worldwide

1.1.3. Worldwide PV Installations by Interconnection Status and Application

1.2. US Installed PV Capacity

1.2.1. Cumulative US Installed PV Capacity

1.2.2. US PV Installations by Interconnection Status

1.2.3. US PV Installations by Application and Sector

1.2.4. States with the Largest PV Markets

1.3. Global and US Installed CSP Capacity

1.3.1. Cumulative Installed CSP Worldwide

1.3.2. Major non-US International Markets for CSP

1.3.3. US Installed and Proposed CSP Capacity

1.4. References

2. INDUSTRY TRENDS, PHOTOVOLTAIC AND CONCENTRATING SOLAR POWER

2.1. PV Production Trends

2.1.1. Global PV Production

2.1.2. US PV Production

2.2. Global and US PV Shipments and Revenue

2.2.1. Global PV Shipments

2.2.2. Global PV Cell/Module Revenue

2.2.3. US PV Shipments

2.2.4. US PV Cell/Module Revenue

2.2.5. US PV Imports and Exports

2.3. CSP Manufacturer and Shipment Trends

2.3.1. CSP Manufacturers

2.3.2. CSP Shipments

2.3.3. Material and Supply-Chain Issues

2.3.3.1. Polysilicon Supply for the PV Industry

2.3.3.2. Rare Metals Supply and Demand for PV

2.3.3.3. Glass Supply for PV

2.3.3.4. Material and Water Constraints for CSP

2.3.3.5. Land and Transmission Constraints for Utility-Scale Solar

2.3.4. Solar Industry Employment Trends

2.3.4.1. Types of Jobs in the PV and CSP Industries

2.3.4.2. Labor Intensity in the PV Industry, Global, and United States

2.3.4.3. Employment and Labor Intensity in the United States and Global CSP Industry

2.3.4.4. Quality Assurance and Certification for Solar PV Installation

2.3.4.5. Solar Instructor Training Network

2.3.5. References

3. COST, PRICE, AND PERFORMANCE TRENDS

3.1. Levelized Cost of Energy, PV and CSP

3.2. Solar Resource and Capacity Factor, PV and CSP

3.2.1. Solar Resource for PV

3.2.2. Solar Resource for CSP

3.2.3. Capacity Factor, PV, and CSP

3.3. PV Cell, Module, and System Efficiency

3.3.1. PV Cell Type and Efficiency

3.3.2. PV Module Efficiency

3.3.3. PV System Efficiency and Derate Factor

3.4. PV Module Reliability

3.5. PV Module Price Trends

3.6. PV Installation Cost Trends

3.6.1. Behind-the-Meter PV

3.6.2. Utility-Sector PV

3.7. PV Operations and Maintenance

3.7.1. PV Operation and Maintenance Not Including Inverter Replacement

3.7.2. PV Inverter Replacement and Warranty Trends

3.8. CSP Installation and Operation and Maintenance Cost Trends

3.9. CSP Technology Characteristics and System Performance

3.9.1. Parabolic Trough Technology

3.9.2. Power Tower Technology

3.9.3. Dish-Engine Technology

3.9.4. Linear Fresnel Reflector Technology

3.9.5. Storage

3.9.6. Heat-Transfer Fluid

3.9.7. Water Use

3.9.8. Land Requirements

3.10. References

4. POLICY AND OTHER MARKET DRIVERS

4.1. Federal Policies and Incentives for PV and CSP

4.1.1. Investment Tax Credit

4.1.2. Renewable Energy Grants

4.1.3. Manufacturing Tax Credit

4.1.4. MACRS and Bonus Depreciation

4.1.5. Renewable Energy Loan Guarantee Program

4.1.6. Qualified Clean Energy Bonds, Clean Renewable Energy Bonds, and Build America Bonds

4.1.7. Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program

4.1.8. Additional Resources

4.2. State and Local Policies, Incentives, and Rules and Regulations

4.2.1. Planning and Permitting

4.2.2. Interconnection

4.2.3. Net Metering

4.2.4. Direct Cash Incentive Programs

4.2.5. Renewable Portfolio Standards and Solar Set-Asides

4.2.6. Clean Energy Funds

4.2.7. Emerging Trends

4.3. Private Sector and Market-Based Developments to Facilitate Solar Deployment

4.3.1. Third-Party Power Purchase Agreement Financing

4.3.2. Customer Solar Lease Financing

4.3.3. Property Assessed Clean Energy Programs

4.3.4. Alternative Financing Structures: Partnership Flips and Leases

4.3.5. Increasing Utility Ownership of Solar Projects

4.4. References

5. INVESTMENTS AND FUTURE OUTLOOK

5.1. Solar Energy Investment

5.2. US Department of Energy Investment in Solar Energy

5.3. Solar Market Forecasts, PV and CSP

5.3.1. PV Market Forecasts

5.3.2. CSP Market Forecasts

5.4. References

End Notes

Chapter 2 SOLAR INSTALLATION LABOR MARKET ANALYSIS∗

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

LIST OF ACRONYMS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

METHODOLOGY OVERVIEW

Size of US Solar Installation Workforce

Expansion of Labor Demand in 2010

Labor Supply-Side Data

RESPONDENT DATA

LABOR DEMAND COMPOSITION/OCCUPATIONAL OVERVIEW

EMPLOYER NEEDS AND CHALLENGES

EMPLOYER TRAINING/EXPERIENCE PREFERENCES

REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF SOLAR INSTALLATION JOBS AND EXPECTED STATE MARKET GROWTH

US INSTALLATION LABOR PRODUCTIVITY

CONCLUSION

APPENDIX A. METHODOLOGY DETAIL

Phase 1: Develop, Classify, and Analyze a Database of Self-Identified or Known Solar Employers

Phase 2: Survey of Self-Identified or Known Solar Employers

Margin of Error: Survey of Self-Identified or Known Solar Employers

Phase 3: A Random Sampling of Employers in Industry Classifications That Are Most Likely to Have Unknown Solar Employers

Margin of Error: Survey of Unknown Solar Employers in Specific Industries

APPENDIX B. SUPPLY-SIDE LABOR DATA

Respondent Profile

Solar PV Programs

Solar Thermal Programs

Partnerships

APPENDIX C. SOLAR INSTALLER EMPLOYER QUESTIONNAIRE

Section 1. Organization-Related Questions

Section 2. Solar Profile Questions

Section 3. Workforce Development & Training Needs

Randomize

Section 4 – Occupational Assessment

Section 5 – Occupational Wage Assessment

Section 6 – Skills & Experience Assessment

Section 7. Solar Experience Profile

Section 8. Permission Questions

REFERENCES

End Notes

INDEX